The present invention relates in general to the removal and installation of crankshaft seals which are associated with high horsepower diesel engines. More specifically, the present invention relates to tooling components which are used to facilitate the removal and installation of such crankshaft seals including the thin metallic wear sleeve typically associated with such seals. While being a time saver, the tooling and method of the present invention are intended to reduce the risk of damage during removal and during installation of the crankshaft seal.
At the present time, high horse power diesel engines are typically fitted with a crankshaft seal assembly that includes the actual sealing member and a thin metallic wear sleeve. It is important to retain the desired level of lubricating fluid within the engine so that critical components will operate efficiently and with a minimum of wear to enhance engine longevity. It is therefore important to try and prevent the loss of fluid from critical areas within and around the engine and to prevent the loss of fluid from in and around operating components of the engine.
The manner in which the crankshaft is mounted within the engine and the need to service the crankshaft, including major overhaul work and repair, necessitates access to the crankshaft and thus an interface between the crankshaft ends and the corresponding housing. This interface at each end of the crankshaft needs to be sealed so as to prevent fluid leakage through this interface. The corresponding xe2x80x9chousingxe2x80x9d which receives the crankshaft is actually a gear cover at one end and a flywheel housing at the opposite end. Since the tooling components and method of the present invention are equally applicable to either the front crankshaft seal or the rear crankshaft seal, reference will be made herein, in the alternative, to both the gear cover and the flywheel housing. As indicated, since there is a corresponding interface which needs to be sealed at the front of the crankshaft as well as at the rear of the crankshaft, the present invention is directed to and applicable for both locations. The detailed description of the present invention which follows is directed to the front crankshaft seal (assembly) but the procedures (and apparata) for the rear crankshaft seal are the same. While the seal assembly which is typically used to establish a suitable fluid seal at the crankshaft and housing interface for high horsepower diesel engines includes a sealing member and a thin metallic wear sleeve, the description of the present invention which follows refers only to the crankshaft xe2x80x9csealxe2x80x9d. It is to be understood that in this context the xe2x80x9csealxe2x80x9d refers to this seal assembly and not just to the sealing member portion of the two-piece seal assembly.
Whenever the crankshaft needs to be serviced, such as for overhaul, repair, or replacement, the front and rear seals need to be removed. Even if there is no intended servicing of the crankshaft, the front and rear seals require periodic maintenance which involves removal of the seals. While cleaning and replacement of the old seals is one option, the more common practice is to discard the old crankshaft seals and then install new crankshaft (oil) seals. The alignment of the seals into the interface to be sealed is critical and the fit is closely toleranced. As such, removal and installation of the front and rear crankshaft (oil) seals, whether or not including the thin metallic wear sleeve, presents a challenging task. The importance of achieving and maintaining positional accuracies means that the removal and installation procedures can be facilitated by tooling components and fixtures. Another concern is that damage to the seal or housing surface can occur and this would be seen in leakage past the seal location. If the crankshaft is not correctly positioned, leakage can occur and leakage for any reason represents an unnecessary expense. A suitable tooling fixture and/or tooling components for use in removal and installation of crankshaft seals can also save time and result in an easier and safer procedure.
The present invention provides a kit of tooling components which includes cooperating hardware in order to facilitate the safe, fast, and easy removal of front and rear crankshaft seals. The tooling kit (tooling components) of the present invention function to support, guide, and remove the crankshaft seal during the removal procedure. These same tooling components function to support, guide, and drive the crankshaft seals back into position at their correct locations during the installation procedure. As will be described herein, removal of the crankshaft seals by means of the present invention involve a removal procedure that uniformly pulls the crankshaft seal away from the housing in a balanced and uniform manner such that there is no undesirable deflection or distortion of the seal. When installing a new crankshaft seal, the tooling components of the present invention are used to align and push the crankshaft seal (with or without the wear seal) into position with a uniform force applied at the center which eliminates any realistic chance of cocking or damage to the seal. The series of steps that comprise the removal procedure are basically the same series of steps, albeit in reverse order, which comprise the installation procedure according to the present invention. The only difference between the installation and removal procedures is the need to connect the crankshaft seal to the tooling fixture when the crankshaft seal is being pulled off. As will be clear from the description which follows, when a new crankshaft seal is being installed, the same tooling fixture is able to push the crankshaft seal into position, precluding the need to physically connect the crankshaft seal to the tooling fixture.
As will be clear from the following description, the present invention improves the removal and installation procedures for front and rear crankshaft seals in a novel and unobvious manner providing an easier procedure and one which is safer and faster to perform.
A kit of tooling components for use in facilitating the removal of a crankshaft seal wherein the kit is also suitable to facilitate the installation of a crankshaft seal according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a housing assembly for attachment to a crankshaft seal during a removal procedure, a guide pin for insertion through a crankshaft seal and for alignment of the crankshaft seal as it moves away from the crankshaft during a removal procedure and for alignment as a crankshaft seal is being installed and a plurality of screws for attaching the housing assembly to the crankshaft seal which has been selected for removal.
In a related embodiment of the present invention, a method of removing a crankshaft seal from its installation site within a housing and around one end of a crankshaft is disclosed. The method of removing begins with the step of providing a kit of tooling components which includes a housing assembly, a guide pin, and a plurality of screws. The housing assembly includes a ring portion with a plurality of holes, a support plate, a support, and a drive screw. After removing the plurality of screws which mount the crankshaft seal in position, the guide pin is inserted through one of the vacant holes in the crankshaft seal into one of the vacant mounting holes. The next step is to attach the support to the crankshaft and then rotate the drive screw in a counterclockwise direction in order to advance the ring portion against the crankshaft seal. Once these two components are in contact, they are attached to one another by using the plurality of screws. Next, the drive screw is rotated in a clockwise direction in order to pull the crankshaft seal away from the end of the crankshaft. The final step in the removal procedure is to remove the plurality of screws so as to separate the crankshaft seal from the ring portion.
In a still further related embodiment of the present invention, a method of installing a crankshaft seal is disclosed. The installation procedure basically involves the same steps of the removal procedure, though in reverse order. The only significant difference is that the plurality of screws do not need to be used to attach the crankshaft seal to the ring portion since the ring portion will actually be pushing against the seal rather than trying to pull on the seal.
One object of the present invention is to provide a kit of tooling components which facilitate an improved removal procedure for a crankshaft seal and an improved installation procedure for a crankshaft seal.
Related objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.